HONORING A SON

Paul Monti, left, the father of Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. stand near Monti's burial site on Veterans Day at the Massachusetts National Ceremony in Bourne, Mass., Nov. 11, 2009. Sgt. 1st Class Monti was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, Sept. 17, 2009, after being killed in action by insurgent fire in Afghanistan when he attempted to rescue a wounded soldier. U.S. Army photo by D. Myles Cullen

AMMO SUPPLY

U.S. Army soldiers remove packaging from ammunition they received during a routine aerial re-supply on Combat Outpost Cherkatah, Khowst province, Afghanistan, Nov. 26, 2009. The soldiers are deployed with Company D, 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Smith

FLAG CELEBRATION

A student holds a drawing of an American flag out of a classroom window during a dedication ceremony at the Nioumamilima Primary School on the East African island nation of Comoros, Nov. 23, 2009. U.S. servicemembers assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa helped to renovate the school. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Kulp

CHAIN OF COMMAND

U.S. Capt. Rudy Lupton, prospective commanding officer of the U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge; Rear Adm. Richard B. Landolt, commander of Amphibious Force U.S. 7th Fleet; and Capt. Thom W. Burke, outgoing commanding officer of the Blue Ridge, listen to remarks from Vice Adm. John M. Bird, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, during the Blue Ridge change of command ceremony, Yolosuka, Japan, Nov. 24, 2009. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Cynthia Griggs

SOARING EAGLE

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft assigned to the 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and based on Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, conducts operations over eastern Afghanistan Nov. 26, 2009. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller

HEINZ LIFTS

U.S. Army Sgt. Bryan Heinz lifts weights on Combat Outpost Cherkatah, Khowst province, Afghanistan, Nov. 26, 2009. Heinz is deployed with Company D, 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Smith

FIRST KISS

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class William H. Kern receives the traditional first welcome-home kiss from his wife Nov. 25, 2009, after returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., following a six-month deployment aboard the attack submarine USS Montpelier. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Danna M. Morris

SOLO SECURITY

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Joseph Mejia provides security at a local Iraqi police station during a meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 15, 2009. Mejia, a fire team member, is assigned to the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Angelita Lawrence